The folks over at Computerbase.de have took it into their hands to study exactly how much of an impact >(if any) would activating HDR on a 4K panel affect performance cross different hardware configurations. Supposedly, HDR shouldn't impose any performance penalty on GPUs that were designed to already consider that output on a hardware level; however, as we know, expectations can sometimes be wrong.

Acer America today announced the U.S. availability of the Acer ProDesigner BM270, a 27-inch monitor producing brilliant 4K UHD (3840x2160@60Hz) visuals with first-rate color reproduction featuring Delta E<1 color accuracy. It also features an adjustable shading hood and Acer Display Widget for easily creating and saving individual profiles and settings via mouse clicks.

"Our latest HDR monitor for content creators boasts outstanding color tuning and uniformity compensation to provide sharp images with stunningly rich color," said Ronald Lau, director - stationary computing. "Its new Acer Display Widget makes adjusting settings simpler than ever, while the adjustable shading hood is ideal for color critical projects."

PCPer had the opportunity to disassemble the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ 27", a 4K 144 Hz G-Sync HDR Monitor and found that the G-Sync module is a newer version than the one used on 1st generation G-Sync monitors (which of course do not support 4K / 144 Hz / HDR). The module is powered by an FPGA made by Altera (Intel-owned since 2015). The exact model number is Arria 10 GX 480, which is a high-performance 20 nanometer SoC that provides enough bandwidth and LVDS pins to process the data stream.

The FPGA is sold in low quantities for $2000 at Digikey and Mouser. Assuming that NVIDIA buys thousands, PCPer suggests that the price of this chip alone will add $500 to monitor cost. The BOM cost is further increased by 3 GB of DDR4 memory on the module. With added licensing fees for G-SYNC, this explains why these monitors are so expensive.

HDR10+ Technologies, LLC announced the start of the new licensing and logo certification program for HDR10+ technology. HDR10+ is the royalty-free, open standard dynamic metadata platform for High Dynamic Range (HDR), which optimizes picture quality for 4K Ultra HD displays and improves the viewing experience for all audiences.

The new HDR10+ technology optimizes picture quality for 4K Ultra HD displays by using dynamic tone mapping to reflect frame to frame or scene to scene variations in brightness, color saturation, and contrast. The resulting enhanced viewing experience can now be easily provided on a wide range of displays bringing the viewing experience much closer to the original creative intent for the content.

The guys over at PC Perspective conducted an interesting interview with AMD, during which a company representative talked about impending changes to AMD's FreeSync program. Essentially, the company found that there is some consumer confusion regarding what features exactly FreeSync 2 delivers over its first-gen counterpart. As such, they feel renaming the technology to FreeSync 2 HDR conveys the focus on the new feature-set: LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) and the FreeSync 2 HDR fast-lane for tone-mapping improvements.

The AMD representative further clarified what specs are required for a monitor to receive FreeSync 2 HDR certification: support for at least HDR600, coverage of 99 percent of BT.709 and 90 percent of the DCI P3 color spectrum. Also mentioned was a minimum response time, though the exact value remains unknown. An interesting point that can be gleaned from AMD's change, though, is that this one is more than just cosmetic: AMD's first FreeSync 2 certification program required displays to only be able to adhere to HDR400. There are some examples of announced, FreeSync 2 monitors that only support that standard (and others that don't support even that but were certified all the same), instead of the aforementioned HDR600 the company will apparently start enforcing alongside the renewed "FreeSync 2 HDR" program. Here's hoping for a stricter certification program from AMD in this regard, since HDR400 was a push in itself towards being true HDR (it isn't...) - and FreeSync 2 already has all the market support and recognition it needs to now start increasing its requirements for quality support instead of mainly quantity.

According to a report by DigiTimes, panel-maker AU Optronics is looking to ship gaming panels with built-in mini-LED technology going into the 4Q 2018. This isn't a new display tech, and shouldn't be confused with Micro LED tech, which is hailed as the great coming of an OLED killer. Despite that, mini-LED remains a very interesting, likely crucial piece of technology in enabling much increased color accuracy and contrast ratios of current panel technology - thus also bettering HDR implementations.

Usually, a given monitor or TV features Edge-lit LED technology to achieve the backlighting necessary for image display (or in the case of OLED, there's no need for any of that, since it's a self-emissive technology). In recent times, contrast ratios have been increased by the introduction of local dimming (essentially, there are multiple LED lighting units across the entirety of the monitor or TV, which can be singularly controlled to achieve desired lighting ratios). Mini-LED technology brings this a leap further, allowing for an enormous increase in lighting zones - up to the tens of thousands, compared, for example, to the 384 local dimming units present on the recently released 4K, 144 Hz G-Sync monitors - of which AUO did sample specification-like panels but with this added mini-LED tech. Of course, these "tens of thousands" still pale in comparison to an OLED panel's pixel-count-like dimmable LEDs. As a bonus, panel thickness can also be reduced with mini-LED tech.

Acer today at its japan-specific news page revealed the launch of two new desktop monitors that really do defy convention on the real-estate that you can have plopped right in front of your eyes. The new 49" EB490QKbmiiipfx and 55" EB550Kbmiiipx displays (ehrm... a little more attention to the naming convention, Acer?) deliver what's expected to be a sub-par HDR experience (due to their maximum 300 cd/m² brightness), even though they do tout HDR 10 certification. Response times are being set at 4 ms for both models, with a 1,200:1 contrast ratio.

The monitors feature blue-light reduction technology, and 2x 5 W speakers are par of the course. "Flickerless" technology points our proverbial ears to some sort of variable refresh rate technology, but nothing else from the translation seems to suggest this. Input listing points to 1x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2 compatible), 2x HDMI 1.4, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2 ports. Apparently, these will be launched in Asia first, for 70,000 yen (550 EUR/USD) and 100,000 yen (799 EUR/USD) for the 49" and 55" panels, respectively, starting on June 21st.

NVIDIA today released GeForce 397.93 WHQL "Game Ready" drivers. The drivers come with optimization for "The Crew" closed beta and "State of Decay 2." SLI profiles are either added or updated for "DRG Initiative," and "Star Wars: Battlefront II." The drivers also introduce CUDA 9.2 support. In addition, the drivers also address a number of bugs.

You now no longer need to close Steam to enable/disable SLI. A "Wolfenstein II: TNC" bug that causes the game to freeze in the Roosevelt area, is fixed. A critical issue is fixed on machines with both "Pascal" and "Kepler" GPUs installed, in which the driver fails to load. Green flickering noticed in "Far Cry 5" when using HDR on non-native screen-resolution, is fixed. Grab the drivers from the link below.DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 397.93 WHQL

The change-log follows.

MMD, the leading technology company and brand release partner for Philips monitors, is proud to announce its recently launched Philips 436M6VBPAB was confirmed by Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) as the first display to be officially certified for the DisplayHDR 1000 specification, capable of delivering a profoundly new viewing experience, thanks to striking brightness, deeper contrast and vibrant colours. The new Philips Momentum Line has already been honored with the Computex d & I Award 2017 by IF and Red Dot guru award: Product Design 2017 for its eye-catching and innovative design. It now proudly includes among its achievements the world-renowned VESA DisplayHDR 1000 and UHDA certification, which confirm MMD's commitment to delivering innovative products capable of satisfying even the most demanding segments of the market.

ASUS today introduced the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Swift PG27UQ, a 27-inch monitor with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels), a staggering 144 Hz refresh-rate, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync HDR. Under the hood is an IPS Quantum-Dot panel with DCI-P3 Color Gamut support, 4 ms response time, 178°/178° viewing angles, and 10-bpc (1.07 billion colors) support. 300-1000 cd/m² maximum brightness, and 20,000:1 static contrast ratio, make for the rest of the panel specifications.

The monitor features (and requires) DisplayPort 1.4 to sustain 4K @ 144 Hz with 10-bpc color. It also features HDMI 2.0. Also featured are GamePlus (OSD goodies), GameVisual (genre-specific display presets), a and 2-port USB 3.0 hub. The stand and the back-side of the display features RGB LED elements that can be controlled by Aura Sync RGB. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Acer's 27-inch Predator X27 G-Sync HDR gaming monitor has been listed for preorder on Newegg with a whopping $1999.99 price tag. The Predator X27's impressive specifications include a 4K (3840 x 2160) AHVA IPS panel with 178°/178° horizontal/vertical viewing angles, a response time of 4 ms, and a refresh rate up to 144 Hz through overclocking. Being a HDR monitor, the Predator X27 is capable of reaching 1,000 nits of brightness. The monitor also features full 10-bit HDR support, 99% Adobe RGB coverage, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync. In terms of connectivity, the Acer Predator X27 comes equipped with a single HDMI 2.0 port, a DisplayPort 1.4, and four USB 3.0 ports. Newegg will start delivering the Acer Predator X27 on June 1.

No Man's Sky was one of the most promising games in recent times, with its exquisite concept and graphics technology, which looked to allow for a seamless, truly universal, space-exploration experience. However, No Man's Sky was its own worst enemy, as promised features never made it to the retail version of the game, and its universe, while absolutely expansive, didn't offer much more to do than the joy of being what was sometimes called a "screenshot simulator". These concepts will always be divisive, but one thing stands: No Man's Sky didn't quite fulfill its potential, and that left most players disappointed.

Queue multiple updates (the Foundation, Pathfinder and Atlas Rises updates), which have always brought the game a number of steps closer to the original vision that was presented to audiences, and now, the announced NEXT update, coming to all platforms (including the new Xbox One release, with specific 4K and HDR improvements for the Xbox One X) this summer. This update will introduce a true multiplayer implementation to No Man's Sky, which should bring interactivity levels in the game up. A number of other improvements are being kept under wraps. If Sean Murray's words are anything to go by (and he has been making an effort of not getting too excited about what he has to share), this might be the update - the game - to enroll users again through the long, and hopefully lazy, days of summer. Snippets of Sean Murray's post on Xbox follow, after the break.

Well, so much for April being the month NVIDIA expected its partners to up their game and release their G-SYNC, HDR monitors - that opportunity has come and gone, in another delay for products that were supposed to arrive in 2017. However, as with most launches that fail to meet their timelines, the move is usually to simply shift the goalpost - and that's what's been done yet again. It's still unclear which reasons have led to the delays in launch - whether unrealistic NVIDIA specifications, problems in panel manufacturing at AU Optronics, who have their hands full right now.

However... It now seems (again) we are fast approaching the release date for (at least) two solutions based on the NVIDIA specs (3840×2160 resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, a 1000-nits brightness, a direct LED backlighting system with 384 zones, and feature a quantum dot film to enable HDR10 and coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut). Acer's X27 Predator and ASUS' PG27UQ are the two expected releases, but as you might guess, pricing won't be fair. Here's just hoping that it isn't as much out of court as this preorder page puts it, quoting €2556.50 for ASUS' PG27UQ. It's the extra fifty cents that breaks the illusion, really.

BenQ announced a new entry to its monitor lineup under the model name EX3203R. It sports a 31.5" VA panel with 2560 x 1440 resolution, and can display frames at up to 144 Hz refresh rates. The slight 1800R curvature is expected to keep all points of the monitor at the same distance from users' eyes. AMD's FreeSync 2 technology is also being employed here, making this a more attractive proposition for gaming scenarios. Since this is FreeSync 2 we're talking about, the effective FreeSync range should be quite high, since support for LFC (Low Frame-Rate Compensation) is an essential part of the certification.

Like most BenQ (and other brands') monitors, BenQ is touting this panel as HDR-compatible, and sporting a HDR-specific luminance mode that achieves a top 400 cd/m² luminance - the basest of the base values allowed by AMD for HDR compatibility. Non-HDR content, however, will default to a top 300 cd/m² luminance. BenQ is quoting 90% DCI-P3 coverage. Connectivity options include 2x HDMI 1.4 ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.2a, 2x USB 3.1 ports, and 1x USB Type-C port. Pricing hasn't been announced at time of writing.

The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), an international committee headed by an EPFL professor, has just unveiled JPEG XS. A new time of higher amounts of content consumption - and the ways we consume it - requires a new way to send its data. With this new format, the image-compression process uses less energy, and higher-quality images can be sent with low latency over broadband networks like 5G. JPEG XS will have applications in areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality, space imagery, self-driving cars and professional movie editing.

Headed by Touradj Ebrahimi, a professor in EPFL's School of Engineering (STI), the JPEG XS format was essentially designed to stream live video and VR - it's not a replacement to JPEG, and file-sizes will actually end up being slightly bigger. The big push with this format is lower compression and decompression latency, as well as energy efficiency of the decompression process itself. The fact that it's open source and has a universal HDR coding format also means that its uptake should be relatively high.

EIZO today announced the new ColorEdge CG319X - a 31.1-inch monitor with DCI-4K resolution (4096 x 2160) and HDR gamma support for the professional post-production workflow. It is the successor model to the CG318-4K with several upgraded features.

Distinguishing it from its predecessor, the ColorEdge CG319X comes equipped with HLG (hybrid log-gamma) and the PQ (perceptual quantization) curve for displaying and editing HDR (high dynamic range) video content. The optimized gamma curves render images to appear more true to how the human eye perceives the real world compared to SDR (standard dynamic range). Having a monitor equipped with HDR gamma support ensures professional creators can reliably display HDR content during the editing process so it is ready for color grading at the end of the workflow.

BenQ announced availability of their EW3270U desktop PC monitor, which features some well-known quantity in terms of features. The panel itself is a 31.5" affair built upon VA technology, and features 4K resolution (3840 x 2160). There's a 3000:1 contrast ratio, a measly 300 cd/m² brightness (so no, this monitor can't really display HDR content, it can only receive HDR input), a 9 ms response time (with 4 ms gray-to-gray).

There's a somewhat interesting technology at play here though, which BenQ calls Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology (B.I.+ Tech). This tech should somewhat have the unintended effect of wreaking havoc with content: it automatically darkens bright areas so as to reduce contrast with the dark ones. FreeSync was thrown into the display as well, though that should do little to improve its gaming monitor chops. Connectivity-wise, we're looking at a pretty standard 1xDisplayPort 1.2 x, 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

Consumers' video expectations are being shaped by the brilliant images promised by 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) video and beyond. However, the technical-based hurdles and data demands of higher quality video mean that the majority of users only have access to full HD or lower video technology. For nearly three years, the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) has been working in lock-step with its members, the world's best-known leaders in video, to develop a better quality internet video technology that benefits all consumers. Today, the Alliance is proud to announce the public release of the AOMedia Video Codec 1.0 (AV1) specification, which delivers cross-platform, 4K UHD or higher online video, royalty-free - all while lowering data usage.

Whether watching live sports, video chatting with loved ones, or binging on a favorite show, online video is becoming a bigger part of consumers' daily lives. In fact, video is so important to users that by 2021, 82 percent of all the world's internet traffic will be video, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index , 2016-2021. To remove many of the hurdles required by older, optical disc-era, video technologies, AOMedia developed AV1 specifically for the internet video-era, paving the way for companies to make more of the royalty-free, 4K UHD and higher video devices, products, and services that consumers love.

Reports have started doing the rounds that users might finally see NVIDIA's dream for 4K, 144 Hz gaming come to fruition as early as next month. NVIDIA's approach towards establishing a platform of a premium 4K gaming experience meant that manufacturers - of which ASUS and Acer are two of the foremost examples for this story - were forced to opt for a single panel solution, based on AU Optronics' M270QAN02.2 AHVA panel. This is because NVIDIA wanted gamers to be treated to a fully integrated solution, that boasted of features such as 3840×2160 resolution, a 144 Hz refresh rate, a 1000-nits brightness, a direct LED backlighting system with 384 zones, and feature a quantum dot film to enable HDR10 and coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

However, with such stringent requirements, NVIDIA monitor partners would have to accept what constraints might arise from the panel manufacturer's side of the equation, which ultimately, resulted in a delay for the manufacturer's models - Acer Predator X27 and ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ - from a 2017 release date to what is now expected to be a firm, April 2018 one. Gamers might thus be in for the impending release of some of the best monitors in the industry when it comes to a premium, high refresh-rate gaming experience. Now, where are those mainstream OLED panels with at least 900 nits brightness I wanted to get my hands on?

BenQ, the internationally renowned provider of digital lifestyle devices, today introduces the BenQ EL2870U, our first 4K UHD monitor with 1ms response time designed specifically for Home Entertainment. The BenQ EL2870U Home Entertainment Monitor features High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology to increase the overall dynamic range between true black and bright white to duplicate what your eyes see in the natural world. Enhanced with the 4K Ultra High Definition resolution offered on the EL2870U, users will experience extraordinary clarity of fine details and textures for the optimal viewing experience, and enhanced screen real estate for visual-intensive work.

Not only does the EL2870U pursue brilliant image performance, it also offers features dedicated to offer a premium 4K Gaming experience. The incredibly fast 1ms Gray-To-Gray (GTG) response time on the EL2870U ensures a much more responsive and fluent in-game experience than a traditional 4K Television, particularly noticeable in first person shooter games. AMD Freesync technology effectively eliminates image tearing, broken frames, and choppy gameplay for a smoother gaming experience for users with an AMD graphics card. By offering High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) 2.2 support, the EL2870U is BenQ's premium choice monitor for 4K Gaming on the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro 4K Game consoles.

LG has released a behemoth of a new monitor that aims to deliver the same image quality as a standard 4K panel in a much, much wider package. The 38WK95C is a 37" monitor with a staggeringly wide 24:10 ratio, which delivers its 3840x1600 pixels in an ultrawide field of view that's sure to be a powerhouse of a working environment. There's even FreeSync support, as is the case for many LG monitors, so that users who want to try and catch some gaming can do so at a buttery-smooth frame rate - if they can find some games that get around the ultrawide aspect ratio and can actually play with no distracting graphical glitches, that is.

The panel is an IPS affair with 5 ms gray-to-gray response time and 75 Hz refresh rate - somewhat adequate to the resolution this monitor will be used at. LG does seem to be back at their misleading HDR badges, though, as they claim HDR10 support, despite the fact that brightness is set at a pretty low 300 cd/m² brightness. The bare minimum that AMD considers for an entry-level HDR-capable display is 400 nits of brightness, so LG seems to be merely quoting support for HDR inputs - there's likely no real HDR image quality enhancement at play here. The panel is being quoted as being 10 bit (8-bit+FRC) color capable. As for inputs, there are 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x USB Type-C connectors; the monitor includes 2x 10 W speakers, a headphone jack and 2x USB 3.0 ports, and will enter the market at a $1,499 asking price.

LG has released a new addition to their monitor lineup. The 27UK650-W is an interesting monitor, marrying a 27", 16:9 4K (3840 x 2160) IPS panel with HDR 10 support. The static contrast ratio of 1000:1 means the monitor has a dynamic contrast of 5,000,000:1 (not that that particular spec matters much). The maximum brightness, however, leaves much to be desired on a HDR-enabled monitor: the LG 27UK650-W only manage to deliver 350 cd/m² brightness, which is lower than even the lowest HDR standard AMD considers as being HDR capable (a minimum brightness of 400 cd/m² is required for that). The sRGB 99% Color Gamut coverage is good, however, if not that rare a feature nowadays.

The panel features a 5 ms response time, aided by the implementation of AMD's FreeSync tech, which should help gamers achieve more fluid frame-rates. Flicker free and blue-light reduction technologies are also on board. As for connectivity, 2x HDMI and 1x DisplayPort are available on the LG 27UK650-W. This LG monitor gets rid of the company's hallmark glossy black in the color department, and instead adopts a glossy white and gray finish. The LG 27UK650-W will be available from January 26th for an appealing $529.

The ultimate version of the fifteenth Final Fantasy (how many fantasies can really be final, eh?) has been outed, and now PC gamers now when they can expect to go around the most perfect iteration of the Final Fantasy XV game world. The latest, greatest, and heavily graphically-revised Final Fantasy will finally hit the PC platform on March 6.

The PC version of Final Fantasy XV, will include all previously released DLCs (Episodes Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis as well as multiplayer), extra bosses, a new dungeon, an in-game vehicle and a first-person mode (this is the one I really have to see). As previously covered, the new PC version has been developed with heavy input from NVIDIA, offers up to 8K resolution in HDR, and includes many NVIDIA GameWorks technologies, such as NVIDIA Flow, NVIDIA HairWorks, NVIDIA Hybrid Frustum Traced Shadows, NVIDIA Turf Effects, NVIDIA Voxel Ambient Occlusion, and more. With all of that NVIDIA technology being built-in, it's somewhat expected that the game will only run the way the developers envisioned on a green team graphics card. Read on after the break for the latest system specs and the Royal Edition release trailer (a special version that's equivalent to the Game of the Year versions of other video-games, with all the released DLC for console players.)

NVIDIA this CES is pushing for a new large-format PC display standard called "Big Format Gaming Display" (BFGD). This is a glorified 4K-HDR living room TV (40-inch and above) that's been tweaked for gaming desktops with G-SYNC-HDR hardware, an NVIDIA Shield in place of the TV's in-built Android-based "Smart TV" OS, and 110-ish ppi pixel-density of conventional monitors, so no software-based HiDPI scaling is necessary. The logic behind BFGD is either more desktop immersion, or better quality living-room gaming.

HP showed off the HP Omen X 65, a massive 65-inch television monitor with 4K Ultra HD resolution, support for HDR10 (1,000 nits brightness), 120 Hz maximum refresh-rate, support for NVIDIA G-SYNC HDR, and an in-built NVIDIA Shield, which you can use for on-demand content, game-streaming from your main gaming rig in another room, or even casual gaming from the Shield library. Somebody forgot to pack its power-brick. Thankfully, any ATX PSU can put out 12 VDC, and the booth staff improvised. Since NVIDIA is targeting this device at serious gamers, expect the Omen X 65 to cost a pretty penny more than that 65-inch 4K HDR TV you probably bought last Black Friday.

Acer today unveils its 65-inch Predator Big Format Gaming Display with NVIDIA G-SYNC, introducing big screens to PC gaming. The supersized Predator gaming display builds on the same top-of-the-line specifications that its smaller cousins boast, and integrates NVIDIA SHIELD streaming capabilities to play movies and TV shows in stunning 4K HDR.

Massive yet Nimble
At 65-inches, the Predator Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD) features ultimate gaming specifications that consumers have come to expect from Predator gaming displays. It sports NVIDIA G-SYNC Variable Refresh Rate technology which provides a buttery-smooth, tear-and-stutter-free gaming experience, as well as ultra-low latency at 4K 120Hz. A full-array direct backlight delivers up to 1,000 nits peak luminance, and local dimming provides higher contrast, deeper blacks and brighter whites.